Beam & Couch Excavation Company and one of their excavation teams have received recognition from Heritage Programs of Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. The group was presented with certificates of appreciation for the respectful and appropriate handling of the discovery of human remains found during a sewer project.

While digging a trench the crew discovered potential human remains, immediately stopped work and contacted local authorities. A high probability that the remains were Native American was determined so the State Police and the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) were notified. The two agencies worked with the appropriate Native American Tribes to ensure that the remains continued to be treated with sensitivity.

Both the SHPO and the participating Native American Tribes were thankful for the prompt response and respectful treatment of the remains by the excavators. Tara Gauthier, a Tribal Archaeologist with the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs stated that the excavators, along with the property owner, “were all very helpful, and did their best to do the right thing. Because of their help we were able to quickly return the ancestral remains to the ground.”

All too often such discoveries are covered up in the name of time and money. Beam & Couch showed that responsible companies can work ethically and still complete their projects in a timely manner.